‘FRAND stands for “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory”. It refers to the terms upon which the owner of a patent for an invention that is essential to a standard (“standard essential patent” or “SEP”) should license its use.’

‘Mr Noel Conway, who is 67 and suffering from motor neurone disease, has lost the latest round in his bid to allow doctors to prescribe him a lethal dose of drugs when his health deteriorates further. His legal team had argued that he faced a stark and unfair choice: he could either bring about his own death while still physically able to do so, or await death with no control over how and when it came.’

‘Freedom of religion and same-sex equality are not inherently incompatible. But sometimes they do seem to be on a collision course. This happens, for instance, when religiously devout marriage officers refuse to marry same-sex couples. In the wake of legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the world, states have grappled with civil servants who cannot reconcile their legal duties with their religious beliefs.’

‘‘I know my rights’ – With that statement a family lawyer will naturally turn to s 2A of the Children Act 1989 and the presumption of parental involvement.
‘Parents do not have rights, they have responsibilities’ – Arguably one is now considering the court’s overriding objective and paramount consideration as set out in s 1 of the Children Act 1989 which highlights the welfare of any child.’

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority last month published long-awaited guidance on a key section of the Legal Services Act 2007 that it is claimed will stop many local authorities’ legal services trading activities “dead in their tracks”.’

‘A regional costs judge has concluded that he was wrong to rule in a previous case that late acceptance of a part 36 offer automatically entitled the claimant to an award of indemnity costs, and thus provided an escape route out of fixed costs.’

‘The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law has put together a high-powered group of 26 legal, constitutional and other experts under the chairmanship of former Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP to consider the implications of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill for the rule of law.’

‘In the case of Briers v Briers [2017] EWCA Civ 15, Mrs Briers (W) issued financial remedy proceedings 11 years after she separated from Mr Briers (H), and eight years after H alleged they had reached a concluded agreement settling their financial affairs. The Court of Appeal found that the parties had not reached a concluded agreement, despite both acting on the agreement including the transfer of assets to one another. W could, therefore, bring further financial claims against H.’

‘One in five people stopped by immigration enforcement teams in Britain’s biggest cities is a UK national, according to newly revealed figures that critics say cast doubt on official claims that such stops are “intelligence-led”.’

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